ok i am rat sitting i female rat was due in a week but just dropped today had ten tiny babies 2 died one killed and eaten others not been fed two had tails bitten off one right at the base one near the tip all babies are cold with no milk bands iam going out now to search for some lactol but dont know what else to do i have the babies ai a pouch down my jumper as mum has rejected them just scattered all over the cage attacking them so my question whats the best way to hand rear them or please if anybody in the lancashire are has a lactating female that could foster them that would be great any advice to save the remaining seven i dont want them to die and its even worse as they are in my care the owner is a first time rattie owner herself i own rats my self and have had a litter before but my litter was all ok so iam a bit stuck is all i know is keep them warm and get some milk into them but how much and do i just drip it on their lips or do i drip it in the mouths because they are weak and i dont want to dron them please help sombody its a nightmare iam cross posting as i didnt know the best place to post thanks for any help

If she had given birth a week prematurely....none of the babies would have been alive at all...its just not feasible.

Hand rearing generally dosent work too well at all, i have a female who is lactating, but she has already took on 6 fosters aswell as her own 10, so im not sure she could take on another 7

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Stovokor Rattery Breeding for Healthy Russian Blue, Burmese & Siamese Rats with Lustrous coats.
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It also may not be that she `attacked` them as such out of aggression, more that they were eaten or killed because they werent healthy, ratty mums often know when kittens arent right.

I would put them back in with mum, in a tiny cage/carrier/tank for now, and see what happens but leave her to it as fussing around her will just get her more stressed, in a smaller space she may bond with them and feed them as she has to touch them.

I would really try and get them back in with mum, as hand rearing really isnt a good option for such tiny babies.

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Stovokor Rattery Breeding for Healthy Russian Blue, Burmese & Siamese Rats with Lustrous coats.
We also have rescue Rats needing homes too. Please click HERE for more information.
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SORRY SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLEARER IT WAS MY FREIND WHO SAID WHEN I AGREED TO RAT SIT THAT THEY WERNT DUE FOR A WEEK AND THEY WAS ALREADY IN A SMALL CAGE THEN TRIED A CARRIER BEFORE I REMOVED NOW They are back in a small carrier with mum i rubbed them in her bedding but she has already lost another two within minutes of been in with her she just is showing no interest just getting as far as she can in the carrier away from them they are cold and not moving this might sound strange but her nipples are not really not showing

:@( can only see 2 alive now but mum is sitting on them and they are squeeking the rest i can oly see one who isnt moving and i cant see the others but dont want to disturb her whilst she is sitting on the nest so i will wait for her to leave the nest before checking for the missing ones its still touch and go with the 2 i can see but they do look pinker and i seen slight milk bands and they squeeking which is better than last night but i musnt get my hopes up as i know they are very small and weak ive never seen such tiny babies before they are like over half the size of other babies ive seen before i think the milk they took last night did help them get a taste for it and gave them a bit of strenghth to find mum.the 2 thats left are the bigger 2 of the litter that took a bit of lactol so now iam going to leave with mum in a warm room and let her get on with it it is hard but deep down i know that they dont have much chance with me or with her.
thanks for the support i will let you all know what nature decides thanks again for the help and support xxxxxxxx

Aw that's so sad, but I suppose if they're so tiny then mum must have rejected them for a reason
Fingers crossed that the rest survive. Let us know how she gets on with them x

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thanks for asking guys two are still alive they in with mum but i have had to hand feed them as she isnt producing any milk well i presume she isnt as she has no teats they looking a bit stronger and are warmer and are squeeking mum is been more gentle with the last 2 and is lying on the nest so i hope these will survive but not getting my hopes up just yet thanks again guys xxxxxxx

if she isnt feeding them, could you not search for a foster mum? it would give them a heck of a better chance than handfeeding them.

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Stovokor Rattery Breeding for Healthy Russian Blue, Burmese & Siamese Rats with Lustrous coats.
We also have rescue Rats needing homes too. Please click HERE for more information.
Stovokor Rattery on Facebook

ive posted on all forums but not had any luck nobody near has a female whos lactating everybody is either the otherside of the country or cant because they already have lots of babies and we dont want to risk other peoples babies,they are looking a bit better but still tiny and weak but are taking the milk then going back with mum i just feed them every few hours then mum has them but i really dont have much hope but is all i can do is try ive fed other animals this way and they survived but i understand these are totally different and much smaller and younger than anything ive done before thanks for the concern xx

I have my fingers crossed for you hun.

Sending postive vibes your way.......

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